Missing in Action
by city with no people
Summary: Set in the future of the mangaanime. Maybe they would have been happy if they weren't shinobi. Spoilers are always possible, I guess. Naruhina, Sasusaku, [light NejiTen in later chapters]. Fluff, angst.
1. Chapter 1

**Missing in Action**

Sakura had watched over the years as two of her friends grew closer. The quest for Sasuke had been successful, though it had taken a great many lives to achieve and Sasuke was not entirely himself. She observed quietly as Naruto and Hinata bonded over loss, as the two became more than friends, more than comrades. She watched as the two began to love each other, and gleefully looked on as they were married.

Perhaps they would have led a happy life if they were not shinobi.

Naruto gradually was acknowledged by the village (except the village elders, who everyone knew were cranky old bats, anyways). It came as no surprise to his former teammates when Tsunade appointed him as her successor. After all, the young man was a skilled ninja and had good relations with Kazekage-sama.

But then the war started.

Sakura didn't know what events had trigged the Fourth Great Ninja War; nor did she care. What concerned her was the danger it had put her friends, family, and self in.

They had all sensed disaster coming when Rokudiame left.

He was Naruto, happily laughing off their concern, saying, "If I don't go, I'll be fired!" and other comical remarks to alleviate the worry that gripped his friends. Soon after his departure, Sasuke left, shortly followed by Sakura and the rest of his friends. Hinata would have gone too, but Naruto ordered her to stay and guard the hospital. It was highly suspected that it had something to do with the fact that she was his wife, though no one blamed him for his decision. He seemed to work better without having to worry about her.

There was a brief cease-fire.

Two years into the war, Naruto had met with the enemy's leader and called for a truce. A border was agreed upon; and, for a moment, peace was restored. The Konoha shinobi returned home.

But it was not to be.

The standstill was two months ago. A brief, wonderful two months of peace had been granted to the war heroes. The calm ended, however, when one of the enemy's deserters came to Konoha and murdered a child, to be killed by the child's grief-stricken parents. This incident escalated, and Rokudaime could do nothing to stop the violence.

The incident led to war.

Despite his desperate efforts to prevent more blood shedding, war was declared again. All the heroes who had returned were forced to once again fight. Hinata again was left to watch after the hospital.

The war was going badly.

Things seemed dark for Konoha. The enemy was using their jinchuuriki against their ninjas—a dirty trick, to be sure. Somehow, Rokudaime managed to subdue the beast; but at a great cost. It seemed that he, like his father, had lost his life in his endeavor to stop the wrath of the biju.

Rokudiame disappeared.

More accurately, the man went MIA. Most of his shinobi believed he had died in the battle. Jiraiya and others believed that, were such a thing to happen, the Kyuubi would have been released. Many questions swarmed around Naruto's disappearance.

They found his note.

The note was discovered in his tent, hidden inside one of the many pockets of his 'Hokage trench coat'. Scribbled on the front of the envelope in his messy handwriting was one word: "Hinata".

And Sakura was sent to deliver his letter to his widow.

Hinata knew. She just could sense that something was terribly wrong. Maybe it was the heightened senses of the Hyuuga family that gave her this foreboding. Whatever the cause, she knew exactly what to expect as Uchiha Sakura, famed medical jounin and one of Hinata's close friends, approached her.

The pink-haired woman had changed little over the past years. She still wore her hair short, held back by her forehead protector. She still wore the same short skirt and black gloves, all of which were currently stained with the marks of battle, blood and dirt staining the fabric, tears evident in the close weave. The change that Hinata's sharp glance instantly recognized was Sakura's eyes—they were full of sorrow. Sakura apprehensively approached her friend, holding out a thick envelope.

"He-he left this for you, Hinata," she choked, her emerald eyes swimming with unshed tears. Shinobi never show their tears; never allow their emotions to control them.

Hinata stared at the letter, guessing its contents. Her expression was blank as she carefully opened it and read the contents:

_**"My dearest Hinata-chan,**_

_**Hehe…sounds funny coming from me, doesn't it? I was told by ero-sennin to write a 'just in case' letter. It seems the old man has lost his confidence in my battle skills; well I'll just have to show him, won't I?**_

_**I am aware of the intensity of this war. I have known this since I became Rokudaime. That's why I have to fight. I am sure you understand this, you always understood my motives. I am fully prepared for this battle.**_

_**Yet I am not the over-confident boy I used to be. I realize my weakness; I know how it could be exploited. That is why I commanded you to remain in Konoha—someone had to help with the hospital since Sakura insisted on fighting, right? I have faith in my ability, but I know that there is the possibility that this war won't end or that disaster should occur. If that is the case, there are so many things I need to tell you, Hinata.**_

_**The first is one I only learned yesterday. I am sorry that you had to give up the prestigious Hyuuga name when you married me. I am sorry that you had no honorable namesake for the past four years. If you receive this, then you may present this by law and revert to your maiden surname, if you so wish. I, Rokudaime Uzumaki Naruto, give you permission to do thus.**_

_**The second thing you should be aware of is the people of the village. Please protect them, Hinata-chan, you know that that is my legacy.**_

_**The last, and most important information I have to tell you is something I wish I had said before I left for the war.**_

_**As Rokudaime, I fight for the lives of those in Konoha; but as Uzumaki Naruto, I fight for you, my Hinata-chan."**_

There was no closing to the letter. No 'with love from' or 'sincerely yours'. The last words he had written on the page were her name, inscribed with love and devotion with his hasty scrawl. Hinata looked up from the page, her pale eyes devoid of emotion.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan." She replied before stuffing the letter in her coat pocket and retreating to her house, leaving Sakura stunned in the distance.

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A/N: that's the first chapter. Cliff hanger-ish, I guess. 

The next chapter will have more fluff, promise. This is merely the setting up of the stage.

If you liked it, please review. Because remember, writers need love as well. No flames please; I'm not a pyromaniac...


	2. Chapter 2

It was not so much that Hinata had thought of Naruto as immortal. They were both shinobi and were frequently deployed on the same missions as comrades. As a comrade, she'd seen him injured before, often mortally. She knew he was human. She knew it because she loved him for his humanity.

The news was such a shock to her, though. When Sakura handed her the letter—no, even before that; when Hinata saw the look in her eyes, Hinata knew. Her mind registered the loss; but her heart would not acknowledge that he was gone.

Her denial confused her; she didn't understand her feelings anymore. As if entranced, the violet haired woman practically fell into bed, sleep immediately overtaking her.

As so often happens when one falls asleep with their minds active, Hinata's memories flashed through her dreams. She remembered the day when she confessed her undying devotion to Naruto…it really wasn't romantic scene she had hoped it would be. At all.

_It was a very loud party. VERY loud. Music was cranked up all the way, drunk people were 'singing' along to the lyrics (if they knew them; if not, they made them up). Couples were in the corners. There was way to much noise for such a small room. Too much noise, too many people, way too much booze._

_It seemed as if every ninja in existence had been invited to the "Welcome back, Naruto!" party. Hinata had been thrilled when she received her invitation to the surprise party, only to be disappointed when she realized that everyone who knew Naruto was invited. There were even some shinobi from Suna; and some kid who announced himself to be from some island said his name was 'Inari' or something. Hinata's heart sank. For a moment, she'd thought she was one of Naruto's special friends who would get to see him and welcome him home; now she realized she was just one of the hyperactive blonde's many acquaintances._

_If Neji hadn't been off somewhere with Tenten, maybe he could have warned Hinata that the punch was spiked and perhaps this whole disaster could have been avoided. The violet-haired teen had been approached by many eager boys who thought she hung the moon,; her depression, however, kept her from speaking with them for very long. She sat quietly on a stool, half hidden by shadows, sipping her punch and gradually starting to feel strange._

_Hinata had to piece together the rest of the night's events (she had gotten too drunk to tell). She got all of her friend's accounts of what occurred and deduced the basic truth._

_As the alcohol began affecting her thoughts, she began to feel more and more confident. She watched Naruto chatting good-naturedly with all his friends. She saw the women who were throwing themselves at him and glared. It was quite a shock to Kiba, who'd come to check on her, to find the mild-mannered Hinata sitting, drinking alcohol, and glaring at her crush. The boy figured that he had had too much to drink and excused himself from the festivities._

_Emboldened by the liquor, Hinata stood up and unsteadily approached the blonde. Surprisingly, the hyper ninja was perfectly sober._

"_OI! Hinata-chan! Nice to see you! I didn't think you'd come!" he exclaimed loudly. He hadn't seen the Hyuuga heiress in the crowd and had thought she had decided to refrain from the frivolity._

_However loud it had been, the noise was nothing compared to Hinata's outburst._

"_NARUTO-KUN, YOU BAKA! HERE I AM, SITTING IN A CORNER, THINKING ABOUT YOU, AND ALL YOU'RE DOING IS TALKING TO THE WOMEN WHO ARE FLIRTING WITH YOU!" her eyes started filling with tears._

_The whole room fell silent. Even the radio was turned off (one of the people accidentally tripped the plug in their shock). No one could believe that Hinata, quiet little self-reserved Hinata, had just yelled. She could yell?_

_Naruto was just as confused as everyone else, except he was in a much, much worse position. He was standing one foot away from an inebriated, furious jyuuken master who was mad at him for a reason he didn't know._

"_H-Hinata-chan, um, I'm sorry; I would've said hello, but I didn't know you were here..." his voice trailed off in a pathetic excuse he hoped would pacify her._

"_PERVERT! THAT JIRAIYA'S BEEN A BAD INFLUENCE ON YOU!"_

_Random, drunken yells of "Jiraiya's a perv!" could be heard from most of the unoccupied drunk women._

_Okay, this time Naruto smelled it. The alcohol, that is. He almost sighed in relief; the Hyuuga heiress was speaking nonsense because she was under the influence._

"_Hinata-chan, maybe you should get some air; that way you can think a little clearer." He suggested, vainly trying to make the drunk woman reasonable._

"_DON'T 'HINATA-CHAN' ME, YOU JERK! THE ONLY PERSON YOU EVER LOOKED AT WAS SAKURA; SHE WAS ALL YOU EVER THOUGHT OF! WHILE I SAT IN THE CORNER WATCHING AND WORRYING ABOUT YOUR SAFETY! WHY DIDN'T YOU EVER STOP TO REALIZE THAT I LOVED YOU??!"_

_With that, the hapless girl fainted, falling right into a very shocked Naruto's arms._

_Where was Neji throughout all this drama, you ask? Simple, he had been among the many couples in the corners of the limited space; when he heard Hinata-sama scream, he had tried to get away from Tenten, and failed utterly._

_It was Sakura who salvaged Hinata's dignity. She stood on the snack table and politely yelled, "PARTY'S OVER! GO HOME, ALL OF YOU!"_

_Her shout had little effect on the wasted shinobi. Perhaps that excused her next remark,_

"_GET OUT, YOU INGRATES, OR ELSE!!!!"_

_It was amazing how quickly ninjas could disappear. Soon, no one was left in the room except Naruto, Hinata, and an unconscious Rock Lee. Naruto was still holding the Hyuuga heiress. Sakura walked up to her comrade._

"_Hey, Naruto, that was interesting, wasn't it?" she laughed awkwardly._

"_Yeah." He smiled; but somehow his teammate noticed the pain in his expression. "It's funny what alcohol can do to people, isn't it?"_

"_Interesting way for her to confess."_

"_Sakura-chan, I'm pretty sure it was just the alcohol. Hinata'd never think of me like that."_

_Sakura frowned, flashing Naruto her trademark I-know-you're-dense-but-work-with-me-here glare. "Naruto, don't sell yourself short; didn't you ever stop to wonder why she stutters when she talks to you? Why she turns red whenever you're near her? For goodness' sake, she's had a crush on you since the Academy! Everyone knows it; a few of us even started placing bets on how and when you'd find out, though none of us thought it'd happen like this…" her voice trailed off as she lifted the unconscious green beast of Konoha around her shoulders and trudged to the door. Before she left, she turned to face Naruto. "Look, Naruto, I've got to take this guy back to Gai-sensei. Good luck with Hinata. Don't forget—if you hurt her, Neji'll skin you alive." _

_Without any further advice or warnings, the pink-haired youth carried her comrade out the door, leaving a very confused Naruto to deal with an unconscious kunoichi who would awake in three hours to his blue eyes and a massive hangover. _

_It was fortunate for Hinata that almost everyone at the party had been blitzed. As it was, the only people who remembered her confession were Naruto, Sakura, Neji, Tenten, and Gaara. She trusted most of them to remain silent on this issue. However, she had much difficulty in forcing Neji to swear not to tell—that is until Tenten threatened to dump him. The worse side-effect of her announcement was that she had to start dating Naruto; a downside she absolutely loved. _

Hinata jerked awake. She could have sworn she heard a door opening somewhere. Blinking away the water pooling in her eyes, she activated the jutsu that would inform her of any intruders.

"_Byakugan!_"

She quickly scanned the upstairs and downstairs rooms. There were no presences, hostile or friendly. She deactivated her bloodline limit and pulled herself out of bed; she glanced at the clock. Four-thirty-one. It was late enough for her to go in to the office.

She dressed quickly, pulling on her shoes and running out the door. But she didn't notice that the window was open, curtains blowing with the light morning breeze.

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A/N: I hope you liked that chapter! 

Please review if you like this. Reviews make people update sooner--it's a fact!


	3. Chapter 3

Uzumaki Hinata was stunned and dismayed at what she found at the hospital. Or rather, **_who_** she found at the hospital.

It seemed Uchiha Sakura had slept there last night; for when Hinata 'unlocked' the door to her office, she found none other than the pink-haired woman asleep on her office sofa. Hinata frowned. She hadn't expected this. It wasn't that Hinata disliked Sakura, quite the opposite, actually; it was just that Sakura's presence would make it more difficult to work.

"Sakura-chan," the widow implored, lightly shaking her friend's shoulder in an effort to wake her up. "Sakura-chan."

Sakura stirred.

"O-ohayo, Hinata-chan."

"Ohayo gozaimasu." Came the polite response.

Hinata sat down at her desk, averting her puffy—puffy?—eyes from the pictures of she and her husband. She felt water gather at the corner of her eyes as she thought about her lost love. _A shinobi never shows their tears…_She stiffened and looked at Sakura discerningly. The pressure of running a hospital had affected the once-shy kunoichi.

"Sakura-chan, I understand your concern; but I do not need a babysitter. I will be perfectly fine, you may go back to the frontline—I'm sure they'll need you there."

"Er…Hinata-chan, gomena sai, but I can't. You see, it was an order from Naru—from higher up that I was to remain here under your care."

"Naze?"

"Because…" Sakura turned her gaze away from Hinata in embarrassment, "because there are three of us in this room."

Hinata's eyes widened as she realized what Sakura meant. "H-how long have you known?" she asked, old habit returning for a moment.

"I just found out last week. As soon as I told Naruto, he told me to return to Konoha right away and stay with you."

"Sakura-chan, this is great. I am so happy for you and Sasuke-kun!" Hinata smiled the fake smile Sakura had seen Naruto wear a few too many times. She couldn't stop herself before she said,

"Hinata, I'm so sorry."

Hinata's grin froze. Her lavender eyes became mournful as she met Sakura's gaze.

"Let us not discuss that now. This should be a joyous moment; we should not mention tragedies or loss." A weak smile on her lips.

The rest of the day passed idly.

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**IMPORTANT:**

At the time of this story, Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke, and Hinata are all about twenty six to twenty seven years old.

A/N: zzz...-snaps awake- Sorry! this story is taking sleep from me, and school is really kinda draining 'cause I had like four tests over the last two days...not to mention the Full Metal Alchemist stories I'm writing...so, please review! You'll make this authoress very happy.


	4. Chapter 4

Hinata briskly walked home. Sakura had mentioned needing to gather some clothes from her house and had promised to come over later. This slight delay gave Hinata time to prepare the guest room—and more importantly, time to unwind from the day.

It was a cold night. Hinata shivered as a cold wind swept through the street. A painful memory flashed before her eyes

_It had been a cold week in Konoha; Naruto had told Hinata not to come with, but the young Hyuuga had resisted his urging, telling him he was more important than temperature. She could be stubborn sometimes. They kept their date._

_There were no clouds in the sky; it was a night with no moon and the stars stretched out in the heavens gorgeously bright. A couple sat alone on a hilltop, almost a mile away from the hidden city of the leaf. They weren't doing anything; just sitting, staring up at the sky, gazing at the countless stars that glimmered above._

_A breeze ruffled through the trees from the North. The brisk wind chilled the Hyuuga heiress as she sat next to her love; she was unable to suppress the shiver that ran down her spine as he put this coat on her, smiling as he lent the warmth to her for a while._

Suddenly, Hinata was back in the present, only half-aware of the tears openly running down her face. _What'll I do without him?_ she despaired momentarily, hesitated on how to overcome her horrifying thoughts.

She pushed the idea away. Now was not the time for that. She still had much to do at home before her guest came. She walked up her front steps and inserted the key into the lock, swinging the door closed behind her as she stepped across the threshold.

Her trained senses were instantly aware of the foreign presence in the room. Her hand flew to her kunai pouch, quickly drawing a blade as she activated her byakugan. She glared in the direction of the chakra she could now see.

"Impressive, Hinata-chan; Naruto would be glad to know that you were prepared for an ambush." A dark figure rose from the sofa, walking towards the widow. There was something familiar in his voice, but Hinata didn't recognize it. A few more steps and her assailant would be in the moonlight. She gasped as she saw his face.

For there, standing in the moonlight, hair blowing softly across his face was none other than Uchiha Sasuke.

"S-Sasuke-kun!!!"

He remained silent in a very Sasuke-like manner. This was definitely no henge.

"Sasuke-kun, why are you here? Does you wife know? Do you know about her pregnancy?" her voice was full of curiosity, excitement, happiness, and…hope?

Sasuke smiled. Not smirked. The man actually smiled at the subject of his wife and unborn child. "Hai. I know about Sakura. No, she doesn't know I'm here; and you will not tell her."

"Why should I not tell her that you're here?" Hinata questioned accusingly. Sasuke's smile faded, his tone became serious.

"Because I cannot stay; I have to return to battle, and I don't want to hurt her. I merely came to clarify some things with you."

Hinata's eyes fell. "It's about Naruto, isn't it?"

He nodded, his eyes sober. "Yes, it is. Hinata, I don't have time to answer your questions—I know you have many. All I can do is tell you what happened from my perspective. I cannot promise accuracy or insight; I was engaged in my own fight at the time. Yet I can tell you at least the major events up until Naruto went missing."

Hinata nodded, bracing herself as Sasuke began his monologue:

"Hinata, as you know, this war is going badly for Konoha. Despite our numerous allies and skilled shinobi, we are suffering great losses. Many of our allies have withdrawn support. The Kazekage began having trouble with his people when they began rioting for peace. He has been forced to temporarily withdraw open support. A choice that Naruto supported—he refused to put his friend in a position that would make him take sides between his people and his allies.

"Secretly, Gaara has been sending us much-needed supplies, both medical and otherwise. We have enough rations to supply our ninjas; yet we don't have enough ninjas to support our cause. Our enemy is not skilled in warfare; yet they come from a much larger country, and can afford to waste the lives of their soldiers. We could not; and Naruto refused to do so.

"Things were beginning to worsen, gradually. The number of skirmishes escalated and our casualties increased; the brief respite last month proved to be nothing more than preparations on their side. In our moment of weakness, the enemy revealed their greatest weapon. They brought forth the jinchuuriki they were hiding. In it's released form.

"Many people died. Good men; good shinobis—the beast slaughtered them all and all we could do was await Rokudaime's presence. By the time he had arrived, we had lost almost a whole unit.

"Naruto had to play the hero. He ignored the danger and approached the enemy single-handedly. I should've helped him, but the enemy on the ground was doing a good job distracting my men and myself.

"It was Naruto who discovered that the seal withholding the beast had not been broken; he fought the beast using his best jutsus; as you know, he can no longer access the Kyuubi's chakra without repercussions. There was a resounding explosion. When the dust settled, all we could see was the figure of a young girl lying on the ground. The surviving enemy soldiers either fled or were captured. The child was taken for immediate medical attention and a search was called for Naruto.

"Upon further examination, it was revealed that the young girl was in fact the jinchuriki. She is currently under your cousin's watch. Do not worry, I have asserted that she is not to be harmed or mistreated in any way, and I trust Neji to obey my orders.

"The search was futile; panic spread on the morning of the third day since Rokudaime's disappearance. There was no trace of the hokage; ANBU looked in the surrounding woods, and came back empty-handed. I searched for a clue in the field as well as in his personal belongings—all I found was the note Sakura gave you. All I can say for sure is that Naruto was in a large-scale battle with a biju. If he survived the battle, he is in a very bad position for he is either in enemy territory or else he is in the wilderness."

Sasuke concluded his narration. Hinata looked at the ground, overwhelmed at the scale of these events. "I see," were the only words she could say in response as tears threatened to spill from her eyes for the fourth time that day.

"Hinata-chan, those are the only facts I know. But I have known Naruto for many years; he is my closest friend. I do not believe that a mere biju could keep him from his wife. That is my opinion," he said in an effort to console the distraught woman.

Hinata began sobbing. Sasuke heard a sound in the street.

"Hinata, I must go; I'm sorry that I could do no more."

With that, the shinobi vanished, gone in an instant, just as his wife Sakura walked in to find her best friend lying on the ground, sobs racking her small frame.

"Hinata-chan?!"

The cold night was long indeed as Sakura tried to comfort her friend.

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A/N: er...well...you know the drill; if you like the story, review so I'll update sooner. 

Next chapter one-word preview: casualties.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: sorry that it took so long; I had originally uploaded this yesterday, but some site problems caused me to postpone this chapter. once again, sorry for the wait. Happy Valentines Day. On with the story...

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Hinata awoke to two separate feelings. On her right side, she felt something soft and warm, on her left she felt a cold and hard surface. She slowly sat up and discovered she'd fallen asleep on the ground where she'd been crying last night. She grimaced; it seemed Sakura had been unable to move her and had given her a blanket. She pulled the blanket around her shoulders, hoping the warmth could penetrate the hollowness she felt inside her.

"Ohayo, Hinata-chan!" Sakura called from the kitchen; Hinata smelled coffee.

"Ohayo." Hinata's raspy voice replied. It was hard to focus because her eyes blurred.

As Hinata sat at the table, Sakura poured two cups of coffee, one for her and one for her friend. Both sipped the hot liquid in silence.

"Sakura-chan, how did you wait for Sasuke for three years?" Hinata asked, desperate for a reason to hope.

Sakura slowly lowered her mug and gently set it on the table. "I don't know, really. Every morning I woke up and thought 'maybe he'll come home today'. Throughout the day, I busied myself with medical training. Nights were always the hardest—I couldn't stop myself from looking at all the pictures of our team. I honestly can't say if it's more painful to despair than it is to hope."

Hinata's bangs concealed her eyes as she lowered her head. "Oh." A drop of water hit the wood of the table as Hinata refused to show Sakura her weakness. Again.

Sakura stood up from her seat and put a comforting arm around the kunoichi. "Hinata-chan, you must never give up hope."

Hinata suddenly looked up from the table, directly into the pink-haired woman's eyes, her expression distant. "Arigatou, Sakura-chan. I have to go to work. Ittekimasu!"

As Hinata left the house, Sakura muttered, "Have a nice day. Itterasshai."

To say the day was busy would have been an understatement.

Hundreds of casualties poured into Konoha hospital; the wounds ranged from people in need of stitches to those missing limbs and some who were barely clinging to life. Hinata rushed into the hospital and pandemonium met her pale eyes. It seemed the casualties from the jinchuuriki battle had begun pouring in.

Maybe it was Naruto's influence on the woman, or perhaps she had always had the potential to be sharp under pressure. Whatever the case, the difference in the medical jounin of today and the stuttering genin of years past was striking. She immediately began calling out orders.

"Shizune! What happened?! How many people are injured?!" her voice brimmed with urgency as she interrogated her assistant.

"Casualties from a fight five days ago—it took them that long to transfer here. Most of them aren't life-threatening; though there are many wounds that may become fatal if they don't receive immediate attention. Four people have already died in surgery today. Hinata-sama, we are overwhelmed," came a breathless response.

"Shizune, this disarray will cause more fatalities than anything else. Go throughout the patients and categorize them; if it is a minor injury, tell them to wait outside. If it is life threatening, prioritize them and try to get them into surgery as soon as possible. I will be in surgery one if you need me."

Hinata's orders brought relative organization to the casualty room. People who needed surgery were immediately prepped; people with less dire wounds were told to wait; and people without mortal injuries were commanded to help by order of the hokage's wife and leader of Konoha hospital. The chaos minimized, and many lives were saved because of her quick thinking.

She spent the almost the entire day in surgery. It was hard to lost patients, but with the frenzied air came the need for endurance. Hinata knew that if she stopped, there would be consequences.

A break came only at midnight. The worse cases had been treated, to differing success. A great many died; yet more were saved. The hospital began treating the minor wounds sustained by the shinobi and Hinata, exhausted, sank into her office seat, thankful for the pliable cushion. Too tired to move or change into clean clothes, she sat at her desk and stared at the ceiling as memories flooded to her.

_It was raining. That was all she could remember. The saturation of her clothing sent a chill down her spine. She was shivering—from anxiety as much as from the cold. It had been two weeks since Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and several others had left to find Sasuke. There had been no word from them since they crossed the borders of the Fire country._

_He had told Hinata he would come back with Sasuke this time. "I promised Sakura, remember?" he had said, smiling his sad smile. Hinata knew well the guilt he felt. She knew that he was lying to her, teasing that she was overreacting. But she didn't say anything. She let him walk away into battle, knowing that he may never come back._

_Every day she had prayed for him to come back alive. She wanted so badly for their mission to be a success. For Sakura and Naruto's sake—they had to bring Sasuke home. He was their friend, comrade; they couldn't abandon him._

_Everyday, she watched the road, waiting for him to walk through the Konoha Gates; waiting for the message to come that they'd reclaimed Sasuke and defeated the evil, as she knew they had. He would be home soon. He would be home soon. He would be home…_

_Now. The village gate, not thirty meters away, sloshed through the mud, hinges groaning in protest as the doors swung open. Hinata's heart leapt; it had to be them, it just had to be them._

_It was. Squinting through the mist, she could make out the forms of four people. Her eyes widened. Four people standing, two of whom carried a stretcher. Her pulse quickened._

_It was amazing how long those ninety feet seemed; how long it seemed to take the Hyuuga to reach them. As she neared, she gradually began to distinguish the people in front of her. Her lavender eyes saw Sakura, ordering the two carrying the body to enter the village; she recognized the two carrying the stretcher as Sai and…Sasuke! They had succeeded in their quest; where was Naruto?_

_She continued scanning the group, unable to see the last person; he was too far away. She sprinted towards the figure. A tall blonde boy unsteadily met her eyes._

"_Hinata-chan! I did it! I brought Sasuke back!" he called through the rain, his voice shaky as he coughed._

"_Naruto-kun!!! Naruto-kun, you're—you're bleeding!!" she exclaimed. _

"_It's not too bad; I've got someone taking care of it." He smiled at his joke that she didn't understand._

_Her eyes widened, not understanding his statement. "W-why's there a stretcher? What happened out there? Who's wounded?"_

_His eyes darkened. She knew suddenly. They were not carrying the body of a wounded person; they were bearing the corpse of a comrade who had honorably given his life for their cause. She looked back to Naruto, horrified and sympathetic._

"_I-I'm so sorry, Naruto-kun," she whispered, he was barely able to hear her voice over the howling of the wind._

"_So am I." He said, looking down at her. She met his gaze and instantly knew:_

_Something was horribly wrong._

_Her reaction speed was incredible, fingers a blur as she quickly unzipped his coat. She cursed her own ineptitude for not sensing this sooner. His eyes grew unfocused and he toppled into the mud._

"_SAKURA!!!" the Hyuuga's desperate cry tore through the night. She could not handle a wound of this magnitude alone. The pink-haired woman turned to see a sight she'd never forget—two of her comrades, one lying on the ground in a pool of blood, the other desperately trying to stop his bleeding. She sprinted towards them, knowing she would never get there in time._

_Hinata was trying to stop the blood that poured out of his wound. Every heartbeat sent another mass of the fluid pouring out of his chest. The idiot had been playing it tough, hiding this massive wound as they trekked back to the village. Why did he always have to hide his pain? How could the boy be so good at it? _

Hinata's fingers flew through the hand seals. Her hands began to glow with her chakra as she desperately poured healing energy into his injury, trying to close the wound.

_Every time his heart beat, it seemed to destroy what little progress she had made. The pool of blood on the ground grew in volume. "Don't die don't die don't die don't die." She repeated the command over and over, choking on her own sobs. She tapped into reserves of chakra she didn't even know she had in her effort to save her love._

_Hinata didn't even realize Sakura's presence until she saw another pair of hands pouring out the healing green energy. The wound's size slowly diminished; but Naruto was still bleeding terribly. Hinata glanced at the crimson pool of blood and cursed the fluid that betrayed its master, slowly leaking out of his body as the rain washed the stains away._

_She looked back at him, the sight shocking her. Steam poured out of the wound, and red energy joined green as his wound closed. Soon there was no trace of the gaping hole that had pierced his skin. _

_Hinata was unable to sigh in relief, unable to cry with gratitude. She was exhausted. Her world grew dim as she fainted on top of Naruto._

_A week later, she awoke to find herself in a hospital room full of get-well cards, bouquets, and unique gifts from her friends. Pleasant scents of jasmine and daffodil perfumed the air. She propped herself up in bed, trying to remember why she was here. _

_It flew back to her in an instant. The blood, her fear, the rain threatening to wash every hint of his existence away. She panicked; did he survive? Her mind frantically searched her memories for some kind of sign that he was alright._

_As if on cue, a loud "I DON'T CARE, NEJI!! I'M GOING IN THERE!!" echoed through the hallways. He burst through the doors to Hinata's room, her cousin hot on his heels._

"_Hinata-sama is resting, Naruto! Get out of her hospital room this instant!"_

_Expression left her face—her jaw dropped, lavender eyes open to their fullest extent. She wondered if she was dreaming, if this was the real Naruto in front of her or if she was letting her hope and imagination run away with her._

_Their eyes met, and she instantly knew this was reality. Somehow, they had survived. Somehow, they always would. Together._

"Hinata-sama!"

She snapped to attention; it seemed she had dozed off in her recollections. Frustrated, she wiped the tears that yet again filled her eyes. How often had she lost her composure now?

"Hinata-sama, it's late. You should go home. If you want, I can send someone to escort you."

"Iei, Shizune. I'll be fine. Thank you for waking me up," she said, though she didn't mean it. "I need to get home; Sakura-chan's probably wondering where I am right now."

The jounin vanished, intent on quickly getting home where she could get her mind off her missing husband and the piece of her soul that seemed to have disappeared with him.

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A/N: woah...that flashback was really fluffy. don't you love it how it finally gets fluffy, and then I make it angsty again?...I think it's kinda funny... 

Ittekimasu is a statement one says when you leave a building; kinda like 'I'll be back later'; Itterasshai means 'take care'.

oh yeah! sorry for not doing this sooner!: thanks to **maximus crime**, **chibidragon**, **anidragon**, **vld**, **hackert**, **chibi neko-dono**, and **alyana** for reviewing!

Please review!!


	6. Chapter 6

Sakura had stayed home all day.

Doing what? Knitting—or trying to, at least. She had once read in a book that it was a good, low-stress occupation for soon-to-be-mothers. It was productive and didn't involve strenuous activity; it was inexpensive and easy to understand.

At least that's what the book had said. She had attempted to make a sock...the result almost resembled one. In an it-actually-looks-more-like-a-hat-than-a-sock sort of way. She sighed; quickly throwing the failed project in the trash and walking into the kitchen.

Wearily she poured herself a glass of water. When Naruto had told her that she should come to stay with Hinata, she'd been excited; she usually enjoyed the company of the reserved woman. She had half-fantasized picking random names and shopping with her friend.

Why did thing have to turn out like this? How could Naruto be dead? He was Naruto; he never even faked mortal wounds. He was so outgoing, so energetic; the concept of him never smiling again, never holding his wife, never jumping headfirst into danger. These ideas were so foreign to Sakura. The boy had seemed unbeatable. He'd faced Orochimaru, Akatsuki; he lived with the knowledge that he housed a demon, the strongest demon in history. How could a mere biju defeat him?

Hinata had not been the only kunoichi to bare her soul last night; she had not been the only person crying. Sakura missed her teammate just as Hinata missed her soulmate.

Things had seemed so wonderful before; why did it have to change? Yes, the war had still been raging, but couldn't they have any peace? Naruto had been defending his home, his people, his family; why did he have to die?

It would have been so great…maybe one day Sasuke and Sakura would have Naruto baby-sit. But then again, it was **_Naruto_**; maybe they'd just let Hinata take care of the baby. And the child could call him 'uncle'; he'd be the god-father. Sakura was sure the blonde shinobi would have been an incredible parent; the same was true of Hinata. Why did she get this huge undertaking that she was so unprepared for?

Sakura wasted the day away, thinking about how great things might have turned out. She finally glanced at the clock. It was late. Too late. Hinata should have been home from work no less than four hours ago.

Hinata burst through the door just as Sakura began to worry. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, Sakura-chan," the dark-haired woman smiled. "I hope you've eaten."

"No, I haven't. I was lost in my memories and lost track of time." Hinata's expression darkened. Quick to change the subject, Sakura began, "Busy day at work, eh?"

"Hai." The question did nothing to brighten Hinata's mood. "We received the casualties from the jinchuuriki battle. We lost a great many patients."

"Oh…I'm sorry."

"As am I; but that is of less significance compared to the many lives we saved."

Sakura smiled. Hinata always found the silver lining.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, but I'm tired from the work; I will retire to my room, now."

Sakura wished her friend good night and decided to raid the refrigerator before turning in for the evening. She was slightly dismayed to find the fridge full of nothing but ramen and eggs. She smiled; just as she should have expected from Hinata and Naruto's house.

As the famed medic lay in bed that evening, she heard sobs permeating the wall. She wanted to comfort Hinata, but she knew that she would be of little help at this phase of mourning.

As Sakura settled into a more comfortable position, she felt a tear slide down her cheek.

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A/N: kinda Sakura-centric this time, ne? 

Okay, you lurkers, I know you're out there. If you like my story, then tell me! Sheesh, I need to know what you people think, or else I get writer's block and then I can't update quickly.

Ohhh...one more thing, if you need someone to BETA, my friend chibi neko-dono is open. PM her for info.


	7. Chapter 7

Hinata cried herself to sleep for the second night in a row. Naruto's memory haunted her dreams. Even resting gave her no peace—he had influenced every aspect of her life. Why would that have changed in sixty-eight hours?

_Naruto had gone on another S-ranked mission for ANBU again. It was to be expected; he was a squad leader after all. It had been a year since they had successfully rescued Sasuke, and both he and the Uchiha had joined Konoha's strongest ninja group._

_Yet again, the reckless youth almost got himself killed. His self-preservation instinct certainly needed to be honed. His girlfriend had been horrified to once again learn of his dangerous activities. She had decided she needed to talk to him about that careless tendency of his…_

_The Hyuuga heiress walked into the hospital, carrying a bowl of ramen. Naruto didn't like the hospital food, and complained loudly about it over his many stays. It was the perfect get-well gift, and Hinata knew it. She walked up the stairs and down the corridor._

_She wasn't surprised to hear the voices of the rest of rookie team seven resonating from the room. As she opened the doors, however, she heard a tidbit of a larger conversation that she would never forget. The statement changed her life, as well as Naruto's._

"_Of course the dobe's not going to die from a mere fifty shurikens aimed at his vitals! After all, he's the Kyuubi's host and it' s not like that demon's gonna let his container die any time soon." Sasuke's voice mocked; and then the room fell still as everyone turned to find the newest person in their conversation._

_If it weren't Sasuke, a look of 'oops' probably would have crossed his face._

"_N-Naruto-kun? Is that true? You house the fox demon that attacked Konoha nineteen years ago?" her voice questioned in barely a whisper. She didn't want to believe it. It couldn't be true. Naruto was just Naruto…right?_

_A pained look crossed the boy's face. He looked at his bandaged hand. "It's true."_

_Hinata stilled; a chilly silence gripped the room as the implications crossed Hinata's mind._

"_Then…that chakra that you used against Neji all those years ago at the Chuunin exams…the reason your wounds heal so quickly…the reason all the adults in Konoha shunned you as a child…this was the cause?"_

_He heard the hurt in her voice. Hurt mingled with fear. Fear of him. Fear of what was inside him. He didn't want her to find out. She was his angel—the untainted part of his life. She didn't deserve this._

"_Hai."_

"_I see." Her voice cracked; it must have hurt her so badly to be lied to by one of the few people she trusted. She would leave him. He knew it. She would put down the container she was holding, mutter goodbye, and walk away. Everyone else had done that. And for good reason. He was a monster! Angels don't love monsters._

_What she did shocked him._

_The tears fell from her eyes as she launched herself forward. Ramen spilled, Sakura gaped, Sasuke did what Sasuke always does; Naruto's blue eyes widened._

_Hinata had thrown herself onto Naruto's hospital bed, wrapped her arms around him, and was now openly crying into his bandaged shoulder._

"_Naruto-kun, I'm so sorry. It must have been so painful for you."_

_He had thought she would leave him. Angels can't love demons; it's a law._

_But she looked beyond that demon and seen something that few others had._

_She saw him._

_That marked the day that Uzumaki Naruto realized that he was in love._

* * *

A/N: okay... 

thanks to **Vld**, **Anidragon77**, and **Maresia Eterna** for your inspiring reviews! -happy authoress- arigatou to **uzukun7 **who also reviwed; your constructive criticism helped, really it did. Sorry that this is another angsty flashback chapter, but don't worry. It was necessary. Next chapter will update you on what's happening at the front lines.

btw: next chapter will involve my OC. ahh!! don't look at me that way!! It's just the jinchuriki girl...sheesh...

anways...please review!


	8. Chapter 8

It was hell-like conditions on the frontlines. Konohagakure was rapidly losing ninjas, overrun by the size of the enemy's army.

Hyuuga Neji, however, was not in the front lines.

Hyuuga Neji was left to baby-sit, much to his displeasure.

It was ironic that the one person who had absolutely no experience with children was in charge of supervising Konoha's number one juvenile delinquent. Not that the girl had done anything to earn the title. She had done nothing except be born into this world before a monster was sealed inside her tiny frame.

Her appearance was reminiscent to Naruto's when he was a child.

She was young—no older than six. She had long, disheveled brunette hair and pale amethyst eyes. Her gaze was sad, pain and distrust etched into her small face, a tribute to the torture she had undergone in the enemy's camp.

Neji learned quickly; he was a genius, after all. For the first day, the girl had completely avoided her guardian, not chancing to look at his eyes, perhaps afraid of their pale color.

But over the next three days, the child had formed a special bond with her captor. She refused to speak with anyone, save the Hyuuga. He was determined to protect her from any and all assailants. He had always been protective of his friends and loved ones…

"_Ohayo, Neji!"_

_The shout sent shivers down the Hyuuga's spine. He froze mid-conversation with Tenten, reluctantly tearing his pale eyes from her face to see Uzumaki Naruto. Running towards him, was the soon-to-be ANBU captain, still sporting the stupid orange jumpsuit and the equally stupid grin on his face. Neji's pale eyes narrowed at the sight._

_He may have befriended the ninja long ago, but Neji held Naruto in no high esteem any more. As soon as Neji had learned of Naruto and Hinata's undying love for each other, the over-protective boy had sworn never again to allow himself to show a weak side to Naruto. (Though he was secretly happy for his cousin who had finally admitted her feelings and had them requited)._

_Naruto ran up to the couple. "Ohayo, Tenten!" he grinned at her. She responded politely, quickly taking leave of her two male comrades. Neji inwardly sighed in agitation. Stupid Naruto had now scared off his girlfriend!_

"_Ohayo, Naruto." Neji finally responded coldly. If Naruto had made another mistake on a mission report and wanted Neji to grammar-coach him…Neji might just Kaiten him._

_An awkward silence issued between the two shinobi._

_Wait…silence? The quiet confused Neji. Naruto? Silent? Something must be wrong. Dreadfully, horribly wrong. Neji's pulse surged in uneasiness._

"_Erm…Neji…Hehe…" Naruto scratched the back of his spiky hair, "Your family…they're really formal, aren't they?..."_

"_Hai." Naruto swallowed; Neji followed suit._

"_Erm…okay…howdoIaskforHinata'shandinmarriage?" The blonde shinobi said the words so fast, the Hyuuga stood shocked for a moment, trying to understand what his comrade had said. Naruto stared at his friend in concern, nervousness seething out of him like the Kyuubi's chakra._

"_Nani? You said that too fast; I did not catch it." _

_Naruto stared at Neji as if he had threatened him with a kunai. _

"_I have to say it again?"_

_Neji nodded. Naruto took a deep breath._

"_How do I ask Hiashi for Hinata's hand in marriage? I want to do this right." Naruto grinned, trying desperately to cover his nervousness. He felt like he was going to be sick._

_Neji reacted in the typical brotherly manner._

_He punched Naruto right in the eye, sending the Kyuubi brat flying ten meters back._

_Naruto swayed as he stood; Neji was a 'gentle fist' user, but that didn't mean the guy couldn't punch like a normal shinobi. Moreover, the youth had automatically combined his chakra into the swing, tripling the amount of pain Naruto felt._

"_Naruto. It is bad enough for the Hyuuga namesake that you are dating my cousin; do you really think you stand a chance at convincing Hiashi-sama to give you his daughter?"_

_Naruto grinned despite the pain, wincing as he did so. "Hehe…Neji, I just had a déjà vu. Remember when you told me it was your destiny to defeat me? That a loser like me could never change? Well, I proved you wrong; and now you're kinda starting to sound like your old self."_

_Neji started to protest._

"_No, Neji. I want to do this right. I'll try asking Hiashi about Hinata, but even if he refuses, it's Hinata's opinion that I value most."_

_Neji stared at the boy as if he had set himself on fire._

"_Naruto, even if you somehow manage to convince Hiashi-sama, what about all the problems you will have? You are becoming a captain of ANBU, Naruto; that means that you must place the village before the good of your family. Of yourself. Of Hinata-sama."_

_Naruto glared at the white-eyed man. "Neji, I know well of my duties. Don't you dare even think to say that in front of me again." There was something in Naruto's voice—something Neji had never heard before. A sort of fierce pride mixed with absolute hatred and disgust._

_Desperately trying to prevent disaster, Neji shouted at the incoherent young man._

"_NARUTO! DO NOT FIGHT SOMETHING YOU CAN'T DEFEAT! THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT NEVER CHANGE NO MATTER WHAT YOU TRY! YOU CANNOT CONVINCE HIASHI-SAMA TO ALLOW YOU TO MARRY HINATA-SAMA!"_

"_N-Naruto-kun? N-Neji-nii-san?"_

_Both ninjas looked at the source of the voice and practically fainted. This was not happening, this was not happening, this was not happening…_

_But it was._

"_N-Naruto-kun? Is that true? Y-you were going to ask O-otou-sama if you could m-marry me?" Tears filled in the woman's eyes as she stared at her love. Could it be true? Did he really love her that much? Dare she allow herself to hope?_

_Naruto saw her expression and knew he could not lie to her. He was unsure of how she would react, but he plowed through his confession bravely. Neji stared at the couple. This was not happening…_

"_Yes, Hinata-chan, it's true." His tone was genuine._

_The tension could have been cut with a kunai. Neji mused that if he activated byakugan, he would probably be able to see the pressure. _

"_Why?" she gasped._

_Naruto smiled and bent down to kiss her on her forehead._

"_Because," he wrapped his arms around the kunoichi, "because I love you, Hinata!"_

_The jounin smiled in spite himself and his concerns. They certainly made a cute couple. Naruto and Hinata held each other, lost in their own world. Neji slowly slipped away, content to leave them at peace. He had once doubted Naruto's confidence and persistence, and lived to regret it. Neji learned from past mistakes; he didn't repeat them._

_Their sole witness gone, who knows how long they stood there, alone in the deserted street. Tears continued pouring down Hinata's face. Naruto's smile didn't slip. Finally, the head-over-heels youth leaned back from her embrace._

"_Hinata, what do you say?" his voice brimmed with slight anticipation, though it held a serious edge._

"_Yes, Naruto-kun! Yes now, yes tomorrow, yes the next day, yes forever!" her sobs redoubled as she giddily leapt into her lover's arms once more._

A shadowed figure entered the tent. Neji's features altered as he tried to process the person's identity. The girl recoiled and, uncertain as to how to react to the new entity, she hid in the shadows of the tent canvas.

Perhaps he would allow this one intruder to take charge of the girl. Carefully, he introduced the timid child to this new presence. He kneeled next to his ward, coaxing her back into the light. She gripped his pant leg as he gestured toward the stranger.

"Child, this is…"

His voice trailed into the night.

* * *

A/N: hehehe...-evil laugh-

I hope you liked this chapter! thanks to my reviewers, **Vld**, **Maresia** **Eterna**, **The** **little** **man**, **uzukun7**, and **anidragon77** for the reviews. You people seriously deserve kudos, cookies, and Naruto plushies.

Tell me what you think! Review!

* * *

Next chapter preview:

Shizune walked into the office and announced that Hinata was to have a very important guest.


	9. Chapter 9

Work passed slowly the next day for Hinata. There was a lull in patients; she was inwardly grateful for the break. After making her rounds and checking on post-surgery patients, the byakugan user climbed the stairs towards her office.

More work awaited her at her desk; they had saved lives yesterday, today they filed paperwork. It wasn't a particularly pleasant task, both tedious and troublesome. Hinata didn't mind, however. She was grateful for the distraction. She needed to get him out of her mind. She simply **_had_** to stop crying every day.

She focused dutifully on the stack of papers needing to be filed. She worked through the morning, stopping only when her wrist seized. At one, Shizune walked into the office and announced that Hinata was to have a very important guest.

"Tsunade-sama has come from the front lines and wishes to speak with you, Hinata-sama."

"Where is she now?" Hinata politely questioned her formal coworker.

"Here." An anonymous voice declared as a billow of smoke clouded the room, causing its occupants to gag. Shizune opened a window and let the room air out.

"Tsunade-sama." Hinata inclined her head to the former Godaime.

"Hinata." Came the stern reply. The two women stared at each other for a time.

Tsunade's eyes softened from their severe expression. She embraced Naruto's widow from across the desk in a bear-like hug. "Hinata, I can imagine what you're going through right now. I know it's painful. I'm so sorry."

The Godaime was the fourth person to apologize to Hinata because of Naruto's absence. For a moment, the violet-haired woman allowed her mind to drift into the past, an occupation it seemed to be doing often these days…

_Naruto and Hinata had been enjoying a nice bowl of ramen at their favorite restaurant, Ichiraku. The mood of the ramen shop was pleasant, as normal; the couple had been enjoying a nice, quiet evening together. Naruto was starting his fourth bowl when a messenger arrived, breathing heavily._

"_Naruto-san?" The young ninja addressed his superior. Naruto's rank in ANBU made people acknowledge him at least enough to add an honorary to his name._

"_Hai?" the blonde looked up, slightly disgruntled. He'd been intent on losing himself in Hinata's pale eyes, only to be foiled again._

"_Godaime-sama needs to speak with you. At once."_

"_Tsunade no baa-chan?" Hinata giggled lightly at his disrespectful nickname for the leader. He loved her laugh. It was so soft and quiet and seemed to open a window into her thoughts. He spared an adoring glance at her._

"_It is urgent." The man implored, noticing Naruto's lack-of-attention. Naruto sighed. If this was another ridiculously long mission whose sole purpose seemed to be to keep him away from Hinata…he might have to give Tsunade a piece of his mind._

"_Yosh, yosh." Naruto stood up from his seat and quickly paid the restaurant owner. "Gochisousamadeshita. Arigatou, Teuchi-san." Hinata looked at Naruto; he nodded, an unspoken agreement passed between the two. She too rose from her seat and soon departed toward Hokage tower with Naruto and the messenger._

_It was a nice night, if a little brisk. The full moon peeked through wisps of cloud. The Hyuuga heir was never fully aware of what was said between Naruto and Tsunade, as she was made to wait outside. She never knew how long she waited for him to leave that tower, pacing back and forth along the dusty road._

_When Naruto finally came through the doors, Hinata was alarmed at his expression of shock. He slowly walked towards her, and she braced herself for what he might say._

_He stood in front of her for what seemed like hours, staring into her eyes with an unfathomable face. Hinata feared what he might say, what he may have learned. Her lack of knowledge scared her; she bit her tongue in apprehension._

_Something clicked in Naruto's mind. His movement was a blur as he gathered Hinata into his arms and lifted her off the ground in his embrace._

"_She said she was appointing me as her successor. I'm going to be Rokudaime Hokage, Hinata!!" His voice whispered quickly, her eyes widened in shock._

_She vaguely remembered the slightest taste of blood in her mouth (she had bitten her tongue in surprise when Naruto grabbed her). Water rushed to her eyes and she began crying joyful tears for him. He was accomplishing his dream!_

_He felt her sobs and gently set her on the ground; a small part of her protested his action—she had enjoyed being held in his arms. He stared at her; azure eyes met lavender as their gazes met. He spilled the words that formed in his mind._

"_I love you, Hinata-chan." _

_The starlight reflected in her tears as she gazed up at him. His arms were still around her shoulders. _

"_I love you as well, Naruto-kun."_

_It was strange how formal the words came from both of them. Slowly, so slowly, her arms wrapped around his lower torso._

_Neither knew how long they stood there, arms entangled, just holding each other in pure joy as the stars danced across the midnight sky._

Tsunade released Hinata. The younger woman's mind darted back to the present as Tsunade began angrily pacing in her office.

"Stupid boy. I told him not to endanger his life like that. I thought I'd finally get to retire, but that boy's gone and gotten himself…killed…" her voice quieted and she looked at the ground, mourning the loss of Rokudaime as well.

"Hinata, I'm sorry, but you must not tell anyone of this situation. If the enemy were to learn of Naruto's disappearance, any chance of his survival will be gone and any advantage Konoha holds over them will vanish too. I'm so sorry to have to ask you something like that."

"No. I understand. There is no one for me to reveal this to who does not already know; I will pass the word to Sakura-chan." Hinata logically replied.

"Good. Until we have any solid proof, Hinata, we will act as if nothing is wrong. Sasuke is issuing orders in Naruto's stead. We will continue our search for him in secret."

"Go, Tsunade-sama. I am sure you are needed on the field."

"Hinata. Don't lose hope. I did once; Naruto corrected my viewpoint."

"Arigatou, Tsunade-sama. Please take care."

Tsunade left as speedily as she came; Shizune soon followed suit, leaving Hinata and her papers alone in the small room.

'_Naruto-kun…where are you?'_ she thought as she laid her head on the desk littered with papers, her tears softly saturating the parchment.

* * *

A/N: another chapter done! yays! 

thank you to all my lovely reviewers! Due to popular demand, you all get ramen! (and ramen plushies) : **Maresia Eterna**, **Mrs Weasel-Fan**, **Vld**, **uzukun7**, and **anidragon77**. Also to **raikiri1991**.

I was wondering...how many of you think that Naruto's dead? How many think he's alive? I can't tell you yet, but I will update sooner if I get reviews...


	10. Chapter 10

Hinata lay in bed for hours.

For the past several evenings, a cool front had blown through Konoha; however, that weather had passed, and a gorgeous evening settled on the quiet shinobi village. The windows of the Uzumaki residence were left open, in celebration of the lovely night air.

It was very late; the stars shone through the window, painting a vivid portrait against the black velvet. Hinata stared out the window, allowing her mind to drift, her emotions to surface.

Sleep eluded her tonight. For the past several days, exhaustion had overcome her; but today—tonight—she was abandoned; alone with her thoughts, no task to distract her. No one to comfort her. She was alone.

Truly alone.

How could the world continue? If he was gone, why was she left? How did the sun stay in the sky, when his smile would never appear again? She didn't comprehend a world without him. A world that was so cold—so cold…

She trembled; the intensity of her emotions chilled her.

Pulling her blanket around her, she rose and walked to the window sill. She stared out at the midnight sky. The darkness was so complete, she fancied it would swallow her.

Her despair enveloped her; she closed the window, locking it tight.

She settled back into the mattress. Her shinobi instincts blocked the steady assault of her emotions. _Shinobi are tools of war; without need of emotions._

Unspoken, unwanted, uncontrolled—her tears flowed freely from her closed eyes as she drifted into the realm of dreamless sleep.

* * *

A/N: it's a short chappy; I know, I'm sorry about the delay.

EDIT: oops. It seems that I forgot to thank my reviewers this time...hehe, I'm sorry!! thanks to **Maresia Eterna, Vld, anidragon77, shibby84, quicksilv,** and** raikiri1991.**

Waahh!! there are only like two chapters left!

please review.

* * *

oh yeah...I was going to put this in the last chapter. It's about the jinchuriki girl... 

Age: roughly six or seven.

Hair: a sort of auburn reddish brown...

Eye color: lilac to dark purple

Odd feature(s): a long scar under her left eye; slanted eyes

Of note: her biju is the biji--the two tails or cat demon. Don't look at me like that--if you've read the latest chapters of the manga you'll know that the biju is...fair game, so to speak. Remember, in this story Akatsuki has been disbanded for almost ten years.


	11. Chapter 11

She was dreaming. She had to be dreaming.

She blinked open her lavender eyes, sleep and unshed tears blurring her vision.

Yes. This was definitely a dream.

Her only semi-coherent thoughts registered the face in front of her.

A face that belonged to one Rokudaime, Uzumaki Naruto, Missing in Action.

Her face rested on the pillow. She was comfortable; there was no need to move. His clear blue eyes peered intently at her, his face sideways because of her position. His clothes were tattered and dirty, blood spattered across the front. A smile stretched across his whisker-marked face.

"This is a nice dream," she murmured, snuggling into her pillow, absorbing his smell. A smell of dirt, sweat, blood, ramen, and Naruto.

"A very nice dream." She continued. His smile widened.

"It's no dream, Hinata-chan."

She shook her head, thoughts clouded with sleep. "Yes, it is, Naruto-kun. You're dead. You died six days ago fighting a biju; but that's not important. I want to enjoy my dream."

He shook his head. She was so stubborn sometimes…

Swiftly, he placed his hand behind her neck and swept her light body up into his arms, bringing her face up into a loving kiss.

Her eyes widened as her thoughts screeched to a halt. He relaxed his arms, cradling his wife in a more comfortable position.

"Still think I'm a dream?" he teased.

She gaped at him. Sakura stood in the doorway, beaming. Sasuke stood next to her, arm around her waist. Hinata didn't see them; she didn't see anything anymore. She was in a totally different world.

_Rokudaime exited the hearing room, a sad look on his face. His wife stood at the end of the corridor, her nervous visage obvious to him. He walked towards her and greeted her with a warm embrace, grinning at her. His smile did not reach his eyes._

"_What did they want?" she asked, gesturing at the enemy leader who had so unceremoniously entered the Hokage's office this morning, demanding that Konoha repay his country for the loss of their ninja._

"_The usual. He wants Konoha to surrender; in exchange, he won't annihilate us."_

_She closed her eyes, looking away. "Of course."_

"_I refused; not that I had much of a choice. He declared war on us again."_

_When her eyes met his, they were full of fear. "Naruto-kun, don't go." She implored._

_Her only request. They had been married for four years; why couldn't he grant her one request?_

_He hung his head in shame. He was a horrible husband._

"_I have to, Hinata-chan. It's my duty as Rokudaime Hokage."_

_It took two days for the village to become militarily active once more. The buzz of shinobi preparing for combat drifted on the wind. A tense air swirled through Konoha. Night fell._

_Silence reigned at the Uzumaki household. Hinata didn't yell at Naruto, she didn't cry, she didn't even speak to him. Just looking at him pained her. She was terrified._

_Terrified and helpless._

_The morning came, sunshine weakly beaming through the shutters. Storm clouds threatened to conceal it's warm rays. Naruto rechecked his equipment. Hinata watched him in silence._

"_Naruto-kun."_

_Her voice shattered the quiet._

_Naruto felt as if his soul had shattered as well, guilt clawed at his insides like the monster he contained._

"_Be careful."_

_How was it that he could survive a chidori thrust, and yet two words seemed to tear his world apart?_

"_I will."_

_No words passed between them._

"_After all, I'm Hokage! I have to protect my village, right?" he grinned. He'd learned at a young age that lying was more successful if accompanied by a smile._

_She looked at the hardwood flooring, ashamed of the tears in her eyes._

"_I love you," her phrase aimed at the ground. The water stung her eyes, threatening to spill; she refused to let them._

_He walked slowly towards his wife. Cupping her chin in his calloused hands, and, gently but firmly, lifted her face until her gaze met his. _

"_I love you too, Hinata-chan. Don't worry; I'll be back." He smiled; without another word, he was gone in a flash._

But now he was back. Hinata was crying for the who-knows-how-many time. Laughing as she felt his face, her small fingers tracing his facial markings. Could it be true?

"Baka! Explain to your wife what took you so long!" Sakura called from the entrance. Naruto shot her a glare.

"I was getting to that; geez, Sakura-chan, you are so unromantic."

A shoe collided with the back of Naruto's head. He again glared at Sakura, muttering something about "violence" and "women".

He looked back to his wife, who was still crying in her bliss. "Hinata-chan, I'm so sorry that it took me so long to get back—there were…**_tasks_** I had to accomplish before I could come home; I couldn't send word without compromising my position. I'm sorry."

Hinata smiled serenely through her tears. "Naruto-kun, I knew when I married the Hokage exactly what I was getting into. As long as you come home, I'll always be waiting."

Sakura sighed; it was so romantic. She wished for a moment that she and Sasuke's romance had been as epic as Naruto and Hinata's had been and still was. Her husband snaked his arm around her waist, smirking at her knowingly. He always seemed to read her thoughts…

"Naruto, stop being stupid and explain why you couldn't come back or tell any of us!" Sakura prompted; her pregnant hormones made her even more impatient than ever.

Naruto caved. "Fine, Sakura-chan."

The jinchuuriki's voice sobered. His eyes seemed to lose focus as he began his narrative.

"When I awoke, I found myself in a small village, far from our camp. The village had once been overrun by the enemy, their food pillaged and women raped; they were heavily taxed and abused by soldiers. However, a little over three weeks ago, our shinobi recaptured the town. Because of Gaara's many supplies, our shinobi were well-supplied and were able to re-equip the village. They found my body in a clearing, noticed the sign on my forehead protector, and carried me to their healer. I doubt I would be alive were it not for their assistance.

"They knew that I was a Konoha ninja, but I don't think they realized I was the Hokage. On the fourth day after the battle, I managed to slip away from them. I took advantage of my MIA status, and sneaked into the enemy's territory.

"There I assassinated their leaders."

Hinata gasped—or she would have; but at that point her voice was so raspy from crying it ended up sounded more like a croak than anything else.

"The war is over." Sasuke quietly stated from his position next to Sakura. "Without their leaders, the fighting will become frenzied; yet there will be no strategies. Konoha has won this; thanks to Naruto's decision."

Hinata turned to smile at her husband; she was proud of him. Yet something in his eyes stopped her. He was hiding something. Concern bit at her voice as she asked,

"Naruto-kun, what's wrong?"

He jumped and almost dropped her in shock. "Eh?? What, Hinata-chan? N-nothing's wrong!" He blushed.

Yes. It was certain. He was hiding something.

"Naruto-kun."

The simple word broke his fake grin. His pathetic lie crumbled. Suddenly, the Rokudaime appeared nervous; he carefully lowered Hinata back onto the ground.

"Erm….well….uh….Hinata-chan…in my travels…I…um…picked up…someone…?"

"Hai?"

A nervous girl's head peeked around the corner of the entrance, hiding behind the door. Hinata turned to look at her; but the child hid her face again, scared of the adults in the room and obviously very, very shy.

Hinata quietly walked to the door, careful not to make any sudden movements. She steadily approached the girl, and kneeled so that she would be at eye level. Naruto fidgeted behind his wife, unsure of what her reaction meant.

The child averted her gaze from Hinata's; but Hinata continued to stare at her until the girl had no choice save to meet the woman's piercing gaze.

Lavender eyes met lilac as Uzumaki Hinata evaluated the terrified youngster.

Suddenly, a smile graced the violet-haired woman's face; its warmth invaded all her features. Despite her tear-streaked face, she looked positively radiant. Naruto smiled; even the timid being in front of her felt happiness creep across her small face.

Hinata rushed the shy jinchuuriki girl into a warm embrace. The embrace of a mother. An embrace the girl had never known. Lilac eyes widened as the child tensed, then relaxed, allowing Hinata's peace to seep into her.

Naruto grinned wider (if that was possible).

"So you like the souvenir I brought back from war?" he teased.

Sakura watched the scene unfold. Yes, these two would be great parents…

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A/N: yay! he's back! nee!!! 

I hope you liked the chapter; there's still the epilogue, though.

Thanks to: **taintedlegacy**, **anidragon77**, **hasabusa**, M**aresia Eterna**, and **shibby84** for reviewing! Ramen to you all!

So...please review!

oohhh, on another note, to those of you who like mystery het oneshots, I wrote one; I'd appreciate some input on that story. You can find it in my profile. The title's : The Reason for Hesitation. It's really short.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: two announcements before the fic:

1.) Congrats to **Shibby84**, who guessed the identity of chapter eight's "mysterious figure"!

2.) In regards to **Vld**, Naruto fetched the girl when he visited Neji; he was the "mysterious figure".

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Sasuke's prediction proved true. Within three months, not only had a peace treaty been signed, but all Konoha's ninja had returned home.

A large-scale celebration was held in Konoha's stadium—the same stadium where the Chuunin exam finals were held; the same stadium in which Naruto was appointed Rokudaime.

Naturally, if you combine alcohol, shinobi, a peace treaty, and a party, you'll get disaster. Which is exactly what happened. Frivolity overwhelmed the stadium as ninja from both Konoha and Suna proceeded to party well into the night.

However, in a secluded area of the dome, there was another party being held. A party of a different sort. Only the closest friends of the Hokage were in attendance. (these people included the Kazekage, Gaara; his siblings, Temari and Kankuro; Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino; Kiba and his non-ninja fiancé; Shino and his bugs; Kakashi-sensei; Neji and his wife Tenten; Sasuke and Sakura; Konohamaru and his friends; Tsunade and Jiraiya; Lee and Gai-sensei; Iruka-sensei; as well as select few others.)

In a corner of the room was a pile of cheaply wrapped gifts. A banner was hung declaring the words, "Happy Adoption Day!" Hinata and Naruto mingled with their friends, glad to be reunited with them once again. Clinging to Hinata's hand like it was some kind of life raft was none other than the jinchuuriki child.

The child was the cause of this party.

The girl had changed remarkably over the past few weeks. Hinata had spent almost every waking moment with her, fawning over petty things like her unkempt hair, her clothes, etc. The child was inseparable from Hinata, hiding when anyone else approached her. Almost reminiscent to a certain blue-haired girl Naruto had once known…

After a very short discussion, Naruto and Hinata unanimously decided that the best course of action regarding the girl was to adopt her. The couple refused the concept of exiling her or lending her out to another family. Naruto, after all, was also a jinchuuriki—who was a better candidate for raising one?

They encountered only two problems: the first was quite common to young parents. What to name her? She didn't seem to have one, if she did, she was unwilling to disclose it. Therefore, after much consideration, they finally decided on the name, "Tsuna". Naruto had argued long for the name "Masaki", but he shut up when Sasuke entered, overheard the debate, and mocked, "Uzumaki Masaki".

Name decided, the newly reunited pair faced one other problem. Who to tell of this adoption? If they announced it to the village, there was the possibility that people would shun the child just as they had her new father. Naruto had experienced the pain; he didn't want his child to go through it as well. No, it was impossible for them to tell Konoha's entire population about it.

It was Sasuke, yet again, who resolved the problem. He dully supplied, "Why don't you pretend she's your child; she looks convincingly enough like you two." Hinata was troubled by this solution; it would entail lying to everyone they cared about.

But they had no other option. This choice was the lesser of two evils. However, as most of their close friends knew that they had no children, the Uzumakis decided it would be safe to disclose the facts to them. And, since it was **_Naruto_**, there was only one way to tell them all—a celebration.

The child really did look a great deal like her foster parents. In fact, were it not for the slanted eyes (a trait of her biju) and the three-inch-long scar that ran across her cheek under her left eye (acquired during the torture she underwent in the enemy's camp), most of the Konoha and Sand shinobi now occupying the small room would have sworn she was Naruto and Hinata's child.

For some reason, throughout the course of the party, the girl grew slightly bolder and drifted away from her mother. She soon found a new person to latch onto. The kazekage's eyes widened as he felt someone grip his hand tightly. She stared at him with enraptured lilac eyes; he was shocked. Most people avoided him; the girl had come willingly. He smiled slightly.

Naruto was extremely jealous of the attention his friend was receiving from his new daughter. He probably would have challenged the kazekage, were it not for his wife calming him.

The benefits of the party were great—the objective, announcing the adoption, accomplished. Moreover, Naruto and Hinata gained various gifts from their comrades (the most important of which was a stuffed Raccoon plush that Tsuna carried everywhere). Even more valuable was the reinforced friendship with Sunagakure.

And thus it was that the Fourth Great Shinobi War was ended.

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A/N: I hope you liked...

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who has reviewed/will review; your encouragements really, REALLY inspired me! arigatou! Ramen, plushies, kudos, poptarts, dango, pocky, and a bunch of other goodies to all of you!

Hmm...I'm wondering if I should do a sequel to this fiction...I'd appreciate input.

Because so many of you reviewed, I think you've earned an extra reward. A sneak peek of a fanfiction I'm currently working on. It's a Naruhina (of course).

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::::Preview Mode::::

Her presence made him avow to become stronger. He would fulfill his dream, and prove his worth to Hinata.

As they journeyed toward their dreams, both felt the other drifting further and further away.

Perhaps in another world things would have been different for them. But their dreams were so different—it was inevitable that they would suffer changes with them.

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I can't thank my editor, **chibi neko-dono**, enough for helping me with my frequent pronoun flaws. 


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